Lack of infrastructure in South Campus makes these students dependent

NEW DELHI: Shorya Sood is a 21-year-old student completing his masters in political science from Delhi University. He has cerebral palsy, making him 80% disabled and wheelchair-bound. This means, if he has to go up a flight of stairs or to the classrooms, his friends have to pick him up, along with his bulky wheelchair. Lack of accessibility, he claims, is a problem for disabled students like him on South Campus, who are being forced to depend on others for mobility.

Sood stays in Dwarka and it takes him 45 minutes to reach his class on the campus. He did his undergraduation from DU and started his master's in September. "I use the metro to commute without any assistance from anybody, all the way to the university. But once I get there, I need my friends to take me to my classes," said the student.

His classes take place on a raised area, which he calls the first floor. The canteen, library and space for extra classes is on what he calls the ground floor. Only a few steps separate him and his classes, but it is a big hurdle for the student, who is stranded in his class if not assisted to move down the stairs. He needs four people to pick him up with his wheelchair to cross the stairs.

"There are times when the classes get delayed or cancelled. When that happens, everybody either goes to the canteen or the library. But I am trapped. We really need a ramp here for wheelchair-bound students," he said.

Other students with disabilities use crutches to go up and down the stairs, sometimes with assistance. "I have written to all authorities asking for a ramp to make mobility easier. But nobody has ever responded," he complained.

However, dean of equal opportunities cell Bipin Tiwari said he had spoken to Sood around 10 days ago and brought engineers to the solve the issue in his presence. "We explored the possibility of putting up a wooden plank, but decided a cemented ramp will be more feasible. It will take us at least a month to get that done. There are about six steps between the ground and first floor. In the meantime, we are considering moving his classes to the ground floor," said Tiwari.

Sood now goes to North campus for his classes. It takes him 2 hours to commute. "By the time I am home, I am too tired to study. But I would rather come here than go to South Campus and be dependent on the goodwill of my friends," he said.